Mr. Secretary - Texas Governor Series LbNA # 29839

John Bowden Connally was the thirty-ninth Governor of Texas. He also served this country as Secretary of the Navy and Secretary of the Treasurer. He is mostly remembered for being in the car when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, and for being wounded in the attack. Born on a farm near Floresville, he earned a Law degree from the University of Texas. During World War II he served as a fighter aircraft director on Navy aircraft carriers, earning the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Aboard the USS Essex, he once endured 52 consecutive hours of Japanese kamikaze attacks. After the Navy, he managed an Austin radio station, then worked as an attorney for a Texas oil company. In 1961, JFK named him Secretary of the Navy, a post that he held until he resigned to seek the Governorship of Texas. He served as a Democratic governor from 1963 until 1969, all the while managing Lyndon B. Johnsonís election strategies. That year, President Richard M. Nixon named him as an advisor and, in 1971, appointed him as Secretary fo the Treasury, the first Democrat to serve on a Republican Presidentís cabinet. In 1973, he switched political parties, becoming a Republican, and ran unsuccessfully for the 1980 Presidential nomination. He died in 1993 and is buried at the State Cemetery in Austin.

Zilker Park is one of the best parks in Austin. There are many things to do in this park including: hiking, biking, picnicking, boating, miniature train riding, swimming in Barton Springs and visiting the Austin Nature & Science Center. It is free and offers hands-on activities, animal exhibits, a Dino Pit and nature trails, where this box is hidden. It is open M-Sat from 9-5, and Sun from 12-5 (though the gate to the nature trail is closed on Sundays). So come see the Capitol city of Texas and enjoy one of its fine parks!

Directions:
To get to the Austin Nature & Science Center from MOPAC (Loop 1), take the 2244/Rollingwood exit and go east on Barton Springs Road. Take a left on Stratford Drive (just after the Botanical Gardens) and follow it to the parking area under the MOPAC bridge. From I35, exit on Riverside Drive heading west, then turn left on Barton Springs Road. Go about 1.5 mile and turn right on Stratford Drive and follow it to the parking area under MOPAC Bridge.

Clues:
Walk across the road and up the hill to the Center and get a map. Go out the back door and walk to the Small Wonders building. Turn right (west) and walk through the gate to the Bird Of Prey exhibit. When you go through the gate, turn immediately to the right and head down a concrete path with a black iron fence on each side. Youíll come to a gate: donít assume itís locked, although after hours, it may be. Make your way to the overlook and enjoy the view. To the left is a multi-trunked oak tree with the railing wrapping around it. Look down outside the railing and find a rock located next to the concrete. The letterbox is under the rock and can be had by reaching through the rails. Be very careful to replace the rock on top of the box to keep it from going anywhere. Be discreet.
Note: the Nature Trail gate is closed on Sundays and closes at 4:45 on other days, so the letterbox will not be accessible after that time.

Before you set out, please read the
waiver of responsibility and disclaimer.
Please be sure to reseal baggies and boxes carefully so that they stay dry
and rehide boxes in their original location, completely hidden from view.